Conference misery::feline_v1

1323.0. "HELP!! How do you stop the spraying????" by LABC::ALLEN (Equestrian Lady) Mon May 02 1988 21:39

I need some advice on how to handle the problem child-(5 year old Snowshoe) Sy.

Jim and I have been dating for approximately 8 months.  Sy loves Jim, sleeps on 
his side of the bed, asks Jim to feed him.  Jim has an eleven year old son, 
Jeff.  Jeff is very good with Sy, but afraid of him (Sy likes to nibble). But 
does not try to hurt, he seems to know that this is a child.  
Sy and I will be moving in with Jim and his son in approximately 2 months.

Prior to dating Jim, Sy would be very aggressive towards my dates, to the point 
of attacking them and he even tried spraying one of them. But like I said he 
loves Jim.    

Now for the problem.  I have been taking Sy with me, to Jims house.  Of course 
the first time was traumatic, getting used to a new house and different smells,
but for a first visit, it went real well.  The only animals that have been 
allowed in this house for the past 7 years have been two rabbits, one poodle and
two Chihuahuas.  Since Sy has been visiting no animals have been allowed in. 
Sy has been visiting now for approximately 3 months, almost every Friday or 
Saturday night.  Sy has decided that he needs to mark the house.  He has on 
different occasions sprayed the dinning room drapes, front room window, couch 
and carpet.  This last Saturday I watched him start to spray a door, I stopped 
him and then he tried to get a throw rug.  So he ended up in the bathroom with 
his cat box.  Cat box was clean and he knows where it is.  It has always been 
in the same place.  This cat is far from stupid, he knows what he did wrong on 
Saturday because after being locked up he didn't try spraying again.  He was 
allowed total freedom in the house and everything was fine.

Jim and I have been trying to figure out what is prompting him to spray.  If he 
is watched for the first hour or locked in a separate room, he is fine.  The 
car ride only takes 10 minutes.  Sy has been traveling to my moms since a baby, 
my mom always had two cats (female and male) until recently and Sy has never
tried to spray in her home.

Please note, he is fixed.  Will he stop once both him and I move in?  Do I need 
to move his special chair to Jims house?  Is he reacting because more people 
are around?  Sy and I have always lived alone.  We have had a vet visit, 
everything is fine.  

Thanks in advance for any advice and for lending the ear.

Linda

    I kind of think Sy is just a bit discombobulated with the extra
    people and the different house and so on.  I'd certainly move his
    special chair to Jim's house when you move for good, but not now,
    as it will just make him even more insecure to have it disappear
    from his own home.  I expect you may go thru a transition period
    of a few weeks or so once you move for good, but given that you
    have the lucky break of his being smart, you can use the locking
    up business to get things straightened out then for good.  Also,
    does he have a quiet place where he can take refuge in Jim's house
    if he wants peace and quiet?
    
    I have to say, he seems to have good taste in men....
    

    Over the twenty years that I was PHC (Primary Human Companion) to
    Missy, she came up with a wide variety of behavure problems (probably
    just to keep me from getting boared!).  Each time she started acting
    up in some way, I would try my best to correct the problem, but
    if all else failed, I would bring her to the vet to be sure it wasn't
    something medical.  Usually there was nothing that could be found
    wrong with her, but the funny thing is that it seems the act of
    bringing her to the vet (a very traumatic experience for her) would
    make the behavure problem disappear!  Sort of like she figures "No,
    PLEASE, don't bring me back to *that place*.  I'll behave!".  Has
    anybody else had that experience?  Like I said, it literally never
    failed.
    
    Marion

    Marion, you seemed to hit the nail on the head!  Thank you!
    I had been having a problem with my 7-year old KoKo.  About
    3 - 5 weeks ago, I brought her down to Dr. Brody (I really
    had no clue as to what her problem was) - about 2 weeks
    later - no more problem.  She seems happier than she has
    ever been!  Also, I have been giving her about 10 times
    the attention than before - most of her life she has
    NOT wanted to be picked up - now, she follows me around
    and stands at my feet talking until I pick her up! 
    Funny, how the little furballs change before your eyes!
    I guess I hadn't realized that she changed that much.
    
    E.T.

    How are things with Sy?  I think that what he is doing is completely
    normal.  He is marking your SO's house so that he will recognize
    it as his own.  He doesn't have to do this at your house since his
    scent is already all over it.
    
    Jo